Soapboxtv

Five of the best re-invented soap characters

Whose new faces have suited them best?

Now Ben Mitchell is back in Walford with his sixth (count them) new head, we thought it was time we had a look back at the soap recasts that worked.

Here are our faves…

Ben Mitchell

The jury’s still out on Ben’s latest incarnation in EastEnders, but there’s no denying how brilliant his last two heads were. When young Ben was played by Charlie Jones, he took on evil Stella Crawford in a dramatic – and distressing storyline as Stella abused her future stepson. In the hands of Joshua Pascoe, Ben became a troubled teen who took his angst out on Heather Trott and was sent down for manslaughter. And when Harry Reid took on the role, he built Ben into the Walford fave he is today, embracing his sexuality and losing fiance Paul Coker in a homophobic attack, running the Arches, and having the best ever soap bromance with bestie Jay.

Martin Fowler

Martin’s mum, Pauline, found out she was expecting him in the very first episode of EastEnders so he’s part of the Walford wallpaper. He was played by Jon Peyton-Price as a kid, then James Alexandrou took over the role as Martin grew up, ran over Jamie Mitchell, became a young father to Bex, and lost his brother Mark and mum. Now played by James Bye, Martin’s still at the heart of the show, running his late Uncle Pete’s fruit stall and tolerating wife Stacey’s madcap family.

Sam Mitchell

Another EastEnders fave, Sam Mitchell was played by Danniella Westbrook during her first stint on the show. She eloped with Ricky Butcher and was the only person to stand up to her big brothers Phil and Grant. When Sam returned in 2002 it was with a new actress, Kim Medcalf, in the role. She played a new, tough, grown-up Sam who was right in the middle of the dramatic murder of Den Watts, and ran the Mitchell empire single-handedly. Sam’s been back since, played by Danniella again, but not as successfully.

Tracy Barlow

Coronation Street’s Tracy going upstairs to listen to her tapes and coming down several years later with a new face is a soap legend. The merry murderess was played by Christabel Finch and Holly Chamarette as a child and teenager, and then by Dawn Acton when Tracy had a kidney transplant thanks to her dying stepdad, Samir Rachid. Since she returned to Weatherfield played by Kate Ford, Tracy’s tried to pass daughter Amy off as Roy Cropper’s child, murdered Charlie Stubbs and been jailed, fallen in love with murderer Rob Donovan, started the fire that killed Kal Nazir and Maddy Heath, and married Steve McDonald twice. No rest for the wicked, eh?

Robert Sugden

Emmerdale’s Robert Sugden was played first by Richard Smith, then by Christopher Smith as the troubled teen mourned his step-mum Sarah. In his third incarnation, played by Karl Davies, Robert had an affair with sister-in-law Katie Sugden, kicking off his feud with brother Andy. Since 2014, Robert’s been played by Ryan Hawley and become a fan fave as part of top soap couple, Robron with Aaron Dingle.